Grease-cup.



R. B. GREENWAY.

GREASE CUP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3. I915.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Suvamtoa ROBERT B. GBEENWAY, "OF SAN BERNABDDWO, CALIFORNIA.

GREASE-CUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filed November 3, 1915. Serial No. 59,422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. GREENWAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Bernardino, in the county of San Bernardino and State ofCalifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inGrease-Cups, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in grease cups.

It relates particularly to grease cups of a type having an outer shelladapted to be secured to a moving part of machinery, such as the siderod of a locomotive, the shell having fitted in it a bushing in which ismounted a screw plug for forcing the grease from the shell into abearing.

In my copending application, Number 21,516, filed April 15, 1915, thereis shown and described a grease cup of this general type, in which thelower end of the .plug is closed, thus limiting the quantity of greasewhich may be placed into the cup to the capacity of the outer shell.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a constructionhaving a hollow plug open at the inner end, whereby the capacity of thegrease cup will be relatively greater than in my other invention abovereferred to. In my said other invention, a spring secured to the outershell releasably held the plug from turning in either direction. Thisconstruction requires that the spring be withdrawn from engagement fromthe plug when the plug is screwed inwardly.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a constructionwhich will permit the plug to be screwed inwardly without releasing thespring from engagement therewith, and which will hold the plug frombeing accidentally screwed outwardly.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates my invention, Figure-1 isa vertical sectional view of my improved grease cup shown mounted in theside rod of a locomotive, the side rod and parts connected.

therewith being shown partly in section and partly in side elevation.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the grease cup and a portion of thesiderod, shown enlarged. Fig. 3 is a top view of the grease cup shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the spring being shown released from the plug. Fig. 4: isa top view of the same showing the spring engaged with the plug. Fig. 5is a fragmental side elevation of the grease cup. Fig. 6 is a crosssection on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a top view of a modifiedform of plug.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the differentviews.

1 designates an outer shell having a screw threaded upper end in whichis fitted an internally and externally threaded bushing 2 in which isfitted an externally threaded plug 3 which is hollow, and which has anopen inner end and a closed outer end. The plug is, preferably, providedith a polygonal upper end adapted to be gripped.

with a wrench. The lower end of the outer shell 1 may be secured in anydesired manner, as by brazing, to a part of the machinery, such as alocomotive side rod *1, with whichthe grease cup is to be used.

In the drawing the side rod & is shown mounted on a bushing 5, which ismounted on a crank pin 6. A hole 7 extends through the bushing 5 and theupper portion of the side rod 4. and communicates with the interior ofthe outer shell 1. By turning the plug 3 in the proper direction it maybe screwed inwardly so as to force grease carried in the shell 1 throughthe hole 7 and upon the crank pin 6.

For preventing accidental turning of the bushing 2 in the shell 1, andto preventthe plug 3 from accidentally unscrewing owing to the vibrationof the moving parts, I provide releasable means for locking the bushing2 to the shell 1, said means also providing for'releasably locking theplug 3 from turning in one direction, while permitting it to be readilyturned inthe opposite direction. For effecting these functions thefollowing described mechanism may be employed, see Figs. 1 to 6inclusive: 8 designates an arcuate spring having one end secured, as byrivets 9 to the periphery of the shell 1. The other end of the spring 8extends through a transverse slot 10 in the upper end of the bushing 2,and is adapted to enter any one of one or more longitudinal grooves.provided in the periphery of the plug 3 and designated by 11. Thespring" a beveled portion 12 adapted to be struck byone wall of a;groove 11, the plug may be readily screwed inwardly without having towithdraw the spring 8. The grooves 11 do not extend to the lower end ofthe plug 3. For withdrawing the spring 8 from engagement with the plug3, when it is desired to remove the plug for the insertion of greaseinto the shell 1, there is provided a lever 13 having its fulcrumed endrounded and pivotally fitted in a peripheral recess ll in the bushing 2.The spring 8 extends through a hole 15 in the lever 13, the outer sideof the fulcrumed portion of which is provided with a notch 16 adapted toreceive the spring 8 when the lever is in the locking position, as shownin Fig. 4. hen in this position, the spring 8 holds the lever 13 in theclosed or locking position.

In Fig. '2' I have shown a modification of the plug. In this form, theplug 3' is provided with a plurality of longitudinal ratchet grooves 11,which permit the plug to be freely screwed inwardly but which preventits being accidentally unscrewed. In other respects the plug 3corresponds in construction to the plug 3. When the grease cup is to befilled, the lever 13 is swung to the position shown in Fig. 3, thusreleasing the spring 8 from the plug 3. The plug may now be unscrewedfrom the bushing 2. The plug and shell 1 may now he filled with greaseand the plug replaced in the bushing 2, the lever 1-3 being thenswung tothe position shown in Fig. 4, thereby permitting the spring 8 toree'ngage the plug. From time to time the plugis screwed inwardly so asto force grease through the hole 7 into the bearing. This may beeiiected without releasing the spring 8 or operating thelever 13.Vibration or pounding of the parts will not cause the plug or bushing 2to unscrew. In case the grease has all been forced from the shell 1 andthe bearing becomes heated from lack of lubrication, the plug 3 will beheated so as to melt the grease contained therein and this grease willrun from the plug into the hearing and will afl'ord the lubricationneeded. Thus by having an extra supply of grease carried in. the plug,damage to the parts, due to lack of proper attention on the part of theoperator, may be avoided.

I' do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, asmodifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In a grease cup, an outer shell, a bushing havingthreaded engagement therewith, a hollow plug open at its inner end andclosed at its outer end and having threaded engagement with the hushing,and means secured to the outer shell for releasahly holding the bushingand plug from turning.

2. In a grease cup, an outer shell, a hushing having threaded engagementtherewith,

a hollow plug open at its inner end and closed at its outer end andhaving threaded engagement with the bushing, and. a spring secured tothe outer shell and having means for releasably engaging the bushing andplug for holding them from turning.

3. In a grease cup, an outer shell, a bushing having threaded engagementtherewith and provided with a slot, a hollow plug open at its inner endand closed at its outer end and having threaded engagement with thebushing, and a locking member secured to the outer shell and extendinginto said slot and-adapted to releasably engage said plug.

4. In a grease cup, an outer shell, a bush ing having threadedengagement therewith and provided with a slot, a hollow plugopen at itsinner end and closed at its outer end and having threaded engagementwith the bushing, and a springsecured. to

the outer shell and extending into said slot ing having threadedengagement therewith,

a plug having threaded. engagement with the bushing, and a spring havingmean'sior releasably holding the bushing from. turning and secured tothe outer shell and provided with a releasable ratchet connection withthe plug which will permit the plug to turn in one direction and willreleasably gold it from turning in the opposite direc 7. In a greasecup, an outer shell, a bushing having threaded engagement therewith,

a plug having threaded engagement-with the bushing, and provided with alongitudinal peripheral groove, and. a spring secured to the outer shelland releasahly engaging said bushing and adapted to engage with saidplug in said groove, the engagement of the spring with the plug beingsuch as will permit the plug to turn in one direction and willreleasahly hold it from in the opposite direction.

8. In a grease cup, an outer shell, a bushing having threaded engagementtherewith, a hollow plughaving threaded engagement with the bushing, andmeans secured tcuthe outer shell for releasably holding the hushingfrom. turning and adapted to have ratchet connection with the plug whichwill ing means for releasably holding the bush- 1 ing from turning, andbeing movable into and out of said groove and adapted to releasably holdsaid plug from turning in one direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

ROBERT B. GREENWAY.

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

